Journalist….Photographer…..Author

If you thought that werewolves were the creatures of books and movies – humans who change into a terrifying flesh-ripping monster under a full moon – a new Australian study might change your mind.

The full moon does bring out people displaying werewolf symptoms – biting, spitting and scratching, a researcher has found in an official scientific study.

In just one year, between August 2008 to July this year no less than 91 emergency patients suffering violent, acute disturbances comparable to mythical werewolves were admitted to the Calvary Mater hospital in Newcastle, north of Sydney.

And a quarter of these occurred on a night of a full moon – and was double the number for other lunar phases, says Miss Leonie Calver, a clinical research nurse in toxicology.

‘Some of these patients attacked the staff like animals – biting, spitting and scratching,’ she said.

The patients all had to be sedated and physically restrained to protect themselves.

Miss Calver’s study, which is contained in the pre-Christmas edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, said: ‘One might compare them with the werewolves of the past, who are said to have also appeared during the full moon.’

Yowee!

Anyone you know...?

If you thought that werewolves – humans who change into a terrifying flesh-ripping monster under a full moon – were the creatures of books and movies, a new Australian study might change your mind.

The full moon does bring out people displaying werewolf symptoms – biting, spitting and scratching, a researcher has found in an official scientific study.

In just one year, between August 2008 to July this year no less than 91 emergency patients suffering violent, acute disturbances comparable to mythical werewolves were admitted to the Calvary Mater hospital in Newcastle, north of Sydney.

And a quarter of these occurred on a night of a full moon – and was double the number for other lunar phases, says Miss Leonie Calver, a clinical research nurse in toxicology.

‘Some of these patients attacked the staff like animals – biting, spitting and scratching,’ she said.

The patients all had to be sedated and physically restrained to protect themselves.

Miss Calver’s study, which is contained in the pre-Christmas edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, said: ‘One might compare them with the werewolves of the past, who are said to have also appeared during the full moon.’

I took this and a series of pictures during a visit to Malaysia. These guys were part of a stage show, demonstrating their skills at putting. Their trainer told me they’d also shown their prowess on a nearby golf course and they were ready to take on all challengers.

Enough said. I took up the challenge and the following day we headed to the championship course. Hey, they were good. Too good. Over three holes (orang-utans do get bored) I was hammered. Mind you, they did cheat, kicking my ball into the bushes and knocking it into a pond, but on the putting green they were true professionals. Two winning holes to the apes, one to me. Boo.

I should point out that these orang-utans were rescued by the owner from a circus and had already been trained to perform before he acquired them. My inquiries revealed there was little hope of rehabilitating them back to the wild and they were best left to enjoy the life they were currently living. They loved mixing with people, they were happy, under no stress and, I was reliably informed, should be left to live out their old age with humans.

As for those other unfortunate animals that are losing their habitat and are killed or harmed in clashes with humans taking over their environment for profit – look at the palm oil industry which is destroying their forests – I’m right behind the fight to keep their natural homes. More on this in the new year.

(More pictures in the photo gallery and through Rex Features of London)

With each day’s match play in the world’s media, Tiger’s score is improving and at last count he was said to be on eight under. So to speak.

And there are claims that lawyers are talking to other women who are preparing to tee-off with their personal stories of liaisons with the world number one golfer.

One of the latest to be mentioned in the same breath as Tiger is porn star Holly Sampson, whose CV includes movies such as Diary of a Horny Housewife and Lingerie Or Bust. She has refused to confirm or deny any relationship with Tiger, despite being named in the New York Daily news.

As Tiger finds himself deeper in the rough, there are claims that his wife, Elin Nordegren, the mother of his two young children, has had enough of listening about her husband’s score card and has moved out of the family’s Florida mansion.

As for the golfer himself, he still hasn’t been seen and I still wonder if Osama bin Laden will be spotted before he is.

Holly Sampson neither confirms nor denies liaison with Tiger

With each day’s match play in the world’s media, Tiger’s score is improving and at last count he was said to be eight under. So to speak.

And there are claims that lawyers are talking to other women who are preparing to tee-off with their personal stories of liaisons with the world number one golfer.

One of the latest to be mentioned in the same breath as Tiger is porn star Holly Sampson, whose CV includes movies such as Diary of a Horny Housewife and Lingerie Or Bust. She has refused to confirm or deny any relationship with Tiger, despite being named in the New York Daily news.

As Tiger finds himself deeper in the rough, there are claims that his wife, Elin Nordegren, the mother of his two young children, has had enough of listening about her husband’s score card and has moved out of the family’s Florida mansion.

As for the golfer himself, he still hasn’t been seen and I still wonder if Osama bin Laden will be spotted before he is.

So, who will be found first….Osama bin Laden or Tiger Woods? The US Government admits it doesn’t know where Osama is and the world is equally intrigued to know where Tiger is bunkered. They obviously aren’t sharing the same hideout but both have their own reasons for staying out of the limelight.

We all know why Osama is keeping his head down, particularly as the US has announced a new campaign to hunt him down and either capture him or kill him.

And in recent times we’ve found out why Tiger wants to lie low. He knows that the moment he steps out in public the eyes of the world will be on him, far more than they were when he was a superstar golfer. These days his name is on everyone’s lips not for getting birdies on the golf course but as a superstar stud.

Unlike those hunting Osama, the only army actively searching for Tiger – if indeed he has managed to sneak out of his Florida mansion – are battalions of photographers and reporters eager to hear his response to the ladies who have been kissed and more and are now telling.

Osama and Tiger - Men in Hiding for Different Reasons

So, who will be found first….Osama bin Laden or Tiger Woods? The US Government admits it doesn’t know where Osama is and the world is equally intrigued to know where Tiger is bunkered. They obviously aren’t sharing the same hideout but both have their own reasons for staying out of the limelight.

We all know why Osama is keeping his head down, particularly as the US has announced a new campaign to hunt him down and either capture him or kill him.

And in recent times we’ve found out why Tiger wants to lie low. He knows that the moment he steps out in public the eyes of the world will be on him, far more than they were when he was a superstar golfer. These days his name is on everyone’s lips not for getting birdies on the golf course but as a superstar stud.

Unlike those hunting Osama, the only army actively searching for Tiger – if indeed he has managed to sneak out of his Florida mansion – are battalions of photographers and reporters eager to hear his response to the ladies who have been kissed and more and are now telling.

Having personally observed Rachel Uchitel in the lobby at Melbourne’s Crown Casino while Tiger Woods was staying there, her initial protests that she hadn’t been there at all or that, OK, if she was it was just a coincidence, I’ve watched with fascination as she continued numerous denials.

Now I wonder just why she cancelled a much-anticipated press conference in Los Angeles when she was expected to reveal a little more about her friendship with the world number one golfer.

As we all know Tiger has finally confessed to transgressions with revelations of flings with at least two other women.

Who knows where it will all end but no-one at all would be surprised if Tiger’s wife, Elin, tells him he is too much of a handicap, his duties as a husband are below par and he should now putt up with up to half his fortune.

Tiger and Elin - can they sort it out?

Having personally observed Rachel Uchitel in the lobby at Melbourne’s Crown Casino while Tiger Woods was staying there, her initial protests that she hadn’t been there at all or that, OK, if she was it was just a coincidence, I’ve watched with fascination as she continued numerous denials.

Now I wonder just why she cancelled a much-anticipated press conference in Los Angeles when she was expected to reveal a little more about her friendship with the world number one golfer.

As we all know Tiger has finally confessed to transgressions with revelations of flings with at least two other women.

Who knows where it will all end but no-one would be surprised if Tiger’s wife, Elin, tells him he is too much of a handicap, his duties as a husband are below par and he should now putt up with up to half his fortune.